Greece

Today I felt like learning more about Greece.  For a long time now Molly had had an affection for the country, its scenery, its mythology and legends and its salad of course.  I am more of an Italian girl myself.  She mentioned the other day that she wants to learn Greek, I don't know about that one.  From what I've read it is one of the hardest languages to master and with her current chosen path of becoming a Pastry Chef, where would that fit it?  I could see French or Italian possibly, but Greek!  But, I agree every time I see a picture of the homes on a hill in Santorini, I breathe in their beauty.  I love the bright contrast of the blues and whites.  

At least Homeschooling allows for the freedom to take the time to learn about anything that suits our fancy.

Capitol: Athens   The country's official name is the Hellenic Republic

Greece has the 11th longest coastline in the world, that's a lot of beautiful beaches.

Modern Greece traces its roots to the civilization of Ancient Greece, generally considered the cradle of Western civilization. As such, it is the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, and Western drama,  including both tragedy and comedy.  

Greece features a vast number of islands, between 1,200 and 6,000, depending on the definition, 227 of which are inhabited. Crete is the largest and most populous island

Eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most mountainous in Europe.  Mount Olympus, the mythical abode of the Greek Gods, culminates at Mytikas peak 2,917 m (9,570 ft), the highest in the country. 

The climate of Greece is primarily Mediterranean, featuring mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. 

The Greek Constitution recognizes the Orthodox Christian faith as the "prevailing" faith of the country, while guaranteeing freedom of religious belief for all

Greek literature can be divided into three main categories: Ancient, Byzantine and modern Greek literature.

At the beginning of Greek literature stand the two monumental works of Homer: the Iliad and the Odyssey. 

Greek cuisine is an example of the healthy Mediterranean sea (Cretan) diet.  Greek cuisine incorporates fresh ingredients into a variety of local dishes such as moussaka, stifado, Greek salad, spanakopita and souvlaki.   It uses some flavorings more often than other Mediterranean cuisines: oregano, mint, garlic, onion, dill and bay laurel leaves. Other common herbs and spices include basil, thyme and fennel seed. Many Greek recipes, especially in the northern parts of the country, use "sweet" spices in combination with meat, for example cinnamon and cloves in stews.

I hope Molly's future husband won't mind if that's where they end up an their honeymoon!